Manners Matter

After noticing a pressing need from their children and other parents, area moms Buffy Lee Porter and Staci Silva came together to create Goodness Graces, a program to teach children manners and social skills. Classes offered through Goodness Graces cover topics such as polite introductions, expressing gratitude, good sportsmanship, building confidence, and proper dining behavior.

“We just really saw a strong demand for kids to learn social skills and manners. We both have kids, and we’re around kids often. Sometimes children just need a little help building their skills in society, and it really benefits everyone in the end,” said Silva.

One of the most popular classes so far has been Netiquette, a class on web etiquette and safety. Porter said that many parents are concerned for the safety of their kids online and are worried about the long-term results of being so engaged in social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. “We basically teach kids that what you post will always be there and be accessible to anyone. We also really emphasize not becoming friends with people you don’t know, and appropriate times to be on those sites,” explained Porter.